CSP - Certified Specialty Pharmacist Clinical Management: Infectious Disease Questions and Answers

Question 1

A patient is being initiated on sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for Hepatitis C genotype 1.
Their current medication list includes amlodipine, lisinopril, rosuvastatin 20 mg daily, and omeprazole 40 mg daily.
Which of the following recommendations is most appropriate for the specialty pharmacist to make?

Accepted Answer

Advise the patient to take the sofosbuvir/velpatasvir with food, four hours before the omeprazole.

Answer

Discontinue rosuvastatin for the duration of Hepatitis C therapy.

Answer

Switch omeprazole to famotidine 40 mg twice daily.

Answer

Recommend taking sofosbuvir/velpatasvir and omeprazole at the same time to improve adherence.

Question 2

According to the 2021 IDSA/SHEA guidelines for an initial episode of non-severe Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), which of the following is the preferred treatment?

Accepted Answer

Fidaxomicin 200 mg orally twice daily for 10 days

Answer

Metronidazole 500 mg orally three times daily for 10 days

Answer

Vancomycin 125 mg orally four times daily for 10 days

Answer

Rifaximin 400 mg orally three times daily for 20 days following a course of vancomycin

Question 3

A 35-year-old male patient with HIV is diagnosed with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). His current antiretroviral therapy (ART) is Biktarvy® (bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide). Which of the following is a preferred and appropriate treatment regimen for his LTBI?

Accepted Answer

Isoniazid 300 mg daily for 9 months

Answer

Rifampin 600 mg daily for 4 months

Answer

Isoniazid and rifapentine once weekly for 3 months (3HP)

Answer

Levofloxacin 750 mg daily for 6 months

Question 4

A specialty pharmacist is counseling a patient who is starting on daily oral emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (F/TAF) for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Which of the following is a critical initial assessment that must be confirmed before dispensing the first fill?

Accepted Answer

A negative HIV test result at or very near the time of initiation.

Answer

The patient's hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody status.

Answer

The patient's complete blood count (CBC) from the last 6 months.

Answer

A baseline bone mineral density (BMD) scan.

Question 5

Which of the following laboratory parameters is essential to obtain at baseline before initiating any direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimen for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection?

Accepted Answer

Complete blood count (CBC) and a hepatic function panel

Answer

Serum Vitamin D level

Answer

Urinalysis for protein

Answer

Hepatitis A total antibody

Question 6

A patient being treated with a direct-acting antiviral (DAA) for HCV calls the specialty pharmacy concerned because they had a quantitative HCV RNA level drawn at week 4 of therapy, and it was still detectable, though low. What is the most appropriate response from the pharmacist?

Accepted Answer

Reassure the patient that low-level quantifiable HCV RNA during DAA therapy does not predict treatment failure and to continue the regimen as prescribed.

Answer

Inform the patient this indicates imminent treatment failure and to contact their provider immediately.

Answer

Advise the patient to stop therapy, as it is clearly not working.

Answer

Recommend doubling the dose of the DAA for the remainder of the treatment course.

A patient is being initiated on sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for Hepatitis C genotype 1.Their current medication list includes amlodipine, lisinopril, rosuvastatin 20 mg daily, and omeprazole 40 mg daily.Which of the following recommendations is most appropriate for the specialty pharmacist to make?

A patient is being initiated on sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for Hepatitis C genotype 1.
Their current medication list includes amlodipine, lisinopril, rosuvastatin 20 mg daily, and omeprazole 40 mg daily.
Which of the following recommendations is most appropriate for the specialty pharmacist to make?